The Final Year
by spawn-of-stan
Summary: Draco Malfoy has one last year to confess his love for Hermione. Will he be able to turn his life around and become the boy he once was? WARNING:selfinjury CHAPTER 3 REMOVED! It sounded all funny and I didn't like the way it didn't mesh with the story
1. Chapter 1

Life: Draco

Draco Malfoy sighed unhappily. He was seated on a window seat slicing his skin open with a knife, repressing the pain, knowing it would help him survive the final year under the imperious curse before he ended it all. He was to leave for his seventh and final year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry tomorrow, yet his thoughts were on suicide.

Despite all the horrible things he said and did, he never meant any of it. In his first year, his father, Lucius Malfoy, had placed him under the imperious curse and forced him to be an evil little brat. From then on, being mean was like a second skin. But that all changed when _she_ came.

Her name was Narcissa. Every one thought that Narcissa was Draco's blood-mother, but she was, in actuality, his _step_mother. The strangest thing was that, although he never showed it, Lucius actually loved her. She showed Draco how to be kind again, how to love. She was the only one who had ever melted away some of his icy exterior and seen the real Draco Malfoy.

When he was nearly on the breaking point, he had been able to turn to her and tell her all the horrible things. When he realized he was in love, real love, with a mudblood, she was there, understanding and loving. He could not bring himself to admit his feelings to that mud blooded girl, yet he had only one last chance. One last chance he didn't know if he would be able to take.

Life: Lucius

Lucius, sensing the kindness of his wife beginning to melt the icy composure of Draco, wanted so much to stop it. But he had seen his son's face that day his love had told him she hated him, told him she never wanted to see his face again. Something inside died that day, the capability to be mean and evil without being forced. It broke his heart but he imposed the imperious curse upon him again.

This year though, he would allow Draco to run free with his emotions. To fall in love, to be kind, to learn heartbreak, but to know the ones he loved knew that he loved them.

He knew his son cut himself, dulling emotional pain with physical. He knew Draco planned to kill himself at the end of seventh year. He knew it all. Yet he could not force himself to approach his son. His own son! Once, he was destined to become a death eater, but Voldemort was dead, death eaters dead.

He had barely evaded death himself, but he was put on veritaserum and survived because of the imperious curse. Yes, he had not acted of his own will, but of the will of Voldemort. Now, no one feared to speak his name.

The Story

"Draco! Come down here!" Draco gave a start, and hurriedly stashed the knife and quickly bound up his wounds.

"Coming, father!" he yelled as he sped out the door. 'I expect this is to place me under the curse.' he thought darkly. He stopped surprised as he saw his father, wandless, at the foot of the stairs.

"Draco, give me your hand." Draco obliged, he hesitated but he did hold out his hand. Lucius carefully removed the fresh bandage to reveal the bleeding cuts that went up and down his arm. He inspected the other arm, finding partially healed scabs and pale scars.

Draco stood by tentatively as his father sat down heavily in a chair, hands on his face.

"Draco, why do you do this? Don't you have any idea what this does to your poor mother and I?"

"I…it's just that I-how did you know?" Draco's curiosity mixed strangely with the rage and embarrassment on his pale, thin face.

"Your mother," Lucius began, avoiding his sons angered eyes, "She told me everything. What did you expect her to do?" he cried seeing the anguished look on Draco's face, "Her son was slowly destroying himself, planning to kill himself even! She was worried…upset…"his voice was a whisper now, and Draco moved forward to hear what he said.

"She thinks of you as her son, actual son. As though she birthed you." To both Draco and Lucius' surprise, Lucius began to cry now. Softly, tears coursing down his face.

After a while, Lucius rose and said, "Draco, I would like you to go to your room and finish packing. Dinner is in half an hour."

"Yes, father." Solemnly, Draco made his way up the stairs to his bedroom. Since he had been packed for a week now, he just sat, contemplating the previous conversation.

A/N: Hey there! Well, this is very different than any of my other stories. I started it a while back, but I decided to change a lot of it. In my story, Voldemort wasn't killed by Harry, but he is dead. Harry, seeing as he didn't fulfill the prophecy, died, too.


	2. Chapter 2

I give my thanks to TwistedAsTheDickens.

Draco Malfoy stood on platform nine and three quarters, awaiting the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. As expected, he had made it as the Head Boy, and he had a distinct feeling of dread and excitement as to whom the Head Girl would be.

At precisely three o'clock, the shrill whistle of the train announced its arrival. His parents had left upon seeing him to the platform so he had no one to say goodbye to. He entered the Head's compartment slightly surprised. It was empty. Hermione would usually be the first on the train.

'Ah, well,' thought Draco, 'At least I get some quiet.' He settled into a chair and pulled out his journal. Normally, this would be called a diary, but he preferred the term journal because it portrayed something slightly more masculine.

Suddenly, the train lurched forward and gave a shrill whistle. 'She's late.' he thought, 'Or not coming…'

At that precise moment the door to the quiet compartment burst open. "Sorry I'm late-Oh, hello Malfoy. I should have known you would be Head Boy." Hermione Granger stood in the doorway for a moment before tentatively entering and sitting opposite Draco.

"Hello, Hermione." he said politely before beginning to write again.

"Humph. Wait, what did you call me?" she said, startled.

"I said, Hello Hermione." He felt a wall of nerves rear up inside of him.

"Oh, that's what I thought. Um, are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, fine." He wasn't fine at all. He was sweaty, and nervous and just plain scared.

"You're sure?" she asked, trying to peer into his face for any sign of a trick.

"Yes. Well, actually, no. I'm not fine."

"Well then what's wrong?" She was now confident that the joke would come now.

"Hermione, it's just that…well I…I…I love you." He tensed, waiting for whatever she threw at him.

"Oh, well…uh-wow. Malfoy- I mean Draco, you're serious?" Her eyes were hopeful, but suspicious. He nodded, and quietly rose and moved towards her.

"I've never been more serious in my life." Hermione's eyes grew ever wider, if possible. Suddenly they narrowed sharply.

"Well, Malfoy, neither have I." she said, sharply slapping him across the face. She returned to her seat, hunching her shoulders angrily. She glanced back at Draco, still standing, a vibrant red spot on his cheek.

"Oh, what's wrong with you?" she snapped.

"No-nothing…" He turned and left with his belongings. She sighed and passed the rest of the ride studying. As the train began to slow, she gathered up her books.

"What's this?" she muttered to herself. She picked up a small leather-bound notebook. A green ribbon marked a place. "Oh, I shouldn't…" she whined, "But I will." With a greedy smile, she opened the journal and read the most recent entry.

Journal,

This is it, the day. I don't know if I can really tell her how I feel. I can't stop thinking of her! Her lush brown hair, those lovely brown eyes…it's all I can do to focus on anything but her! She hasn't made it on the train just yet, but I hope she gets here soon. Before I lose my nerve. She just arrived. I think she's surprised that I called her by her first name. Here goes nothing.

-Draco

Hermione gasped, 'He wasn't trying to trick me! But wait,' she thought, 'What if he planted this entry to fool me?'

She flipped through to the previous entry.

Journal,

I don't know hat I'll do if Hermione rejects me tomorrow. I'll probably kill myself. After all, it's what I wanted all along. Just to die, so I can't feel the pain anymore. So I can be happy.

-Draco

Hermione flipped through the rest of the journal and found it filled with either words about her or thoughts of death. A huge feeling of guilt slowly settled in her stomach.

"What have I done," she moaned, "Have I killed Draco Malfoy?" She thought up a plan as she stepped off the train. Once in the castle, she pulled the Marauder's Map from her pocket and searched for Draco. She found him hurrying through the hall, not far from her, towards the Room Of Requirement. She walked as fast as she could but could not seem to catch up. Finally, she rounded the corner to the hallway of The Room Of Requirement and spotted Draco, just starting to pace.

"I need a room to die in.," he repeated softly over and over, until a door silently appeared. As soon as he disappeared, she dashed out from her hiding spot and paced back and forth repeating the same words as Draco had. A door appeared and she found Draco, a knife at his throat, and tears in his eyes.

"Stop! You idiot! How can you think of killing yourself? You have so much to live for!" Tears were pouring from her eyes, "To love…" slowly, she staggered towards him and, ripping the knife from his hands, kissed him. "And to be loved…" For a moment, Draco stood still, enjoying the kiss, and then he pushed away.

"You're just trying to stop me from killing myself. Only because you want to look good."

She gently shook her head, "No, Draco. Only because I care." His eyes widened.

"Then what about what happened on the train?"

"I didn't believe you felt that way. I wanted you for so long, dreamt about it so much, it all just seemed too good to be true." She smiled weakly at him.

"But then how did you know…"

"About this? I…you left your journal on the train. I was in a bad mood with you so I wanted some revenge." Draco laughed.

"Old habits die hard, huh Hermione?"

"Hmm…I think I like it when you call me Hermione."

"And I think I like it when you call me Draco." She smiled.

"How about we start this day over?"

"I love you, Hermione Granger."

"I love you, too, Draco Malfoy."

Summary thing

Draco is finally happy, no longer does his mind linger on suicide. He and Hermione are going out, to Ron Weasley's displeasure. Will his happiness last, or will something-or someone- come along and ruin it all?

A/N: Hey there! I honestly think I like the way the first chapter sounded better than this one. Oh well, PLEASE REVIEW!


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, thanks to Nmmi-nut! I'm glad you were worried about me! Yes, it's been forever and I've probably lost some not-so-faithful readers…but on with the story!

"Hey, 'Mione, want to go play some chess?" Ron beckoned her to follow him up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Oh, no thank you, Ronald. I've…got to go to the library." she lied.

"Dressed up like that? Whatever." Ron made his way up with the throngs of students. Breathing a sigh of relief, she hurried towards the door where students gathered to be allowed to Hogsmeade.

"Hermione! Over here!" Draco stood under a pine tree waving, just enough in the shadows where people wouldn't recognize him. Smiling, she jogged over to meet him. Surprising her, he grabbed her around the waist, spun her around and tipped her back. "I love you," he whispered, and kissed her deeply.

"I wish _I _would get kissed like that," sighed Ginny. Neville snuck up behind her and repeated exactly what Draco did. "Wait, when did Hermione get a boyfriend?" said Ginny, still practically upside down. The couple shrugged and walked off, planning to interrogate her later.

"Oh, Draco! I'm so glad to see you brightening up again! For awhile there, I thought you were getting depressed again!" She smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him another kiss.

Once they were seated in a less known (it was still just as romantic as Madame Puddifoot's) café, Draco broached the subject of telling their friends.

"Well, I think I'm going to tell Ginny, Neville, and Ron tonight, or if not tonight, then sometime very soon. I can't bear keeping something like this away from them any longer."

"I agree. I'm telling my mother and Pansy soon. If I don't the arraigned marriage might just take place as soon as we graduate." They laughed and spent the day talking, laughing, kissing, and shopping.

Well, I'd make this chapter longer and with more of a point but I have an awesome story I wrote last night that I need to type up! That would be (counts stories) almost five stories that are in progress.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! I only have one review but that's okay. I didn't expect much after the short chapter.

Nmmi-nut- Thanks! You've reviewed before, right? Well, I'm glad to have found a reader! By the way, thanks for the hug! I give hugs out daily.

"Hey, Ron! Guess what! Hermione's got a boyfriend!" Ginny approached her redheaded brother pulling Neville along, although Neville was slightly reluctant knowing something his girlfriend didn't.

"What did you say?" asked Ron, turning towards them, eyes flashing dangerously.

"I said that 'Mione has a boyfriend. We don't know who because he was in the shadows but he looks very…" Ginny trailed off, backing up a few steps as her brother approached, looking pissed.

"As soon as I find out who that bastard is, I'll KILL HIM!" he yelled startling some first years and racing off to find her.

"Oh shit."

"Yeah, I was meaning to tell you that he liked her…" Ginny faced Neville and whacked the back of his head.

"I've got to go get Ron before he does something rash." She dashed off, leaving Neville to deal with both the scared first years and a bump on the head.

As Hermione and Draco walked back to the castle, they spotted two red blobs and a brown one racing towards them in the distance.

"Oh, shit." Hermione pushed Draco into the branches of a pine tree.

"What the hell…what are you doing?"

"You saw those blob-things right? Well, the first two are Ron and Ginny and the third is Neville. I'd say Ron heard about us and is coming out here to murder you. Ginny and Neville are trying to catch him."

"Well then, why do I have to be put in a tree?"

"So Ron won't kill you."

"Hermione, we both know Ron's not the best at magic, so, why not let them find us? You did say you were going to tell them tonight anyways."

"Well…I-" Draco grabbed her and started kissing her deeply. He turned her to that she was the one in the tree and not him. "I love you," he whispered. At that moment, Ron hurtled into Draco, sending the both of the sprawling onto the ground. Without a moments rest, Ron jumped on top of Draco and began punching him repeatedly.

"Hey Hermione…I'm guessing Ron's met…your boyfriend, then." Ginny ran up, panting, Neville not far behind.

"You filthy bastard! Never ever touch my girl again!" Ron yelled between punches. Hermione went red and narrowed her eyes at Ron. Draco gave Ron a solid punch to the head and he toppled off. As he climbed to his knees, Hermione punched him square in the face.

"Ouch…" Draco muttered, remembering all too well the time she hit him like that. Ginny snickered at Ron, who, despite landing most of the blows, had sustained the worst damage. He sat up, blood pouring from his nose, staring in disbelief at Hermione.

"Oh, for god's sake, get a tissue!"

"You…you punched me…"

"Damn right! I'm only one person's girl. Not yours." Draco stood protectively behind her, ready to attack if Ron decided to hex her.

"Wait. Hang on. Malfoy's you're boyfriend? Draco Malfoy? The ferret? What happened to the foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach?"

"He's different. It's not the same Draco! He's kind and sweet!" Ron stood slowly, glaring at Draco.

"Well, I guess if she likes you…but if you do ANYTHING to hurt her I swear I'll…"

"Calm down. Don't worry about us. Worry about your nose." Draco gave Ron's nose a gentle poke, earning a yelp.

"Don't do that! That hurts!" Ron clutched his face, glaring again.

"Ron, get yourself to the hospital wing! Neville and I'll tell you more later." Ron sighed and walked off.

"So, Hermione, when did this start?" Neville asked.

"Um, actually, we've been going out since the first day of school…" As she expected Ginny took it really well. Neville seemed amazed that they hadn't said anything yet.

"Amazing. Anything else you want to say? Like how you started dating?"

"Ah…" Draco began to get nervous, hoping she wouldn't mention his near suicide. "No, not really. I read his journal to bug him, and he had written about me. I kind of had a crush on him, so that's how it happened."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Draco grinned.

"Okay, we'll take it. Look, I've got to go check on Ron. See you later!" Ginny dashed off, leaving a suspiscious looking Neville behind.

"That's not the whole story, is it?"

"Well…not exactly…"

"Want to tell me? If you don't that's fine. When you need to tell someone, I'll be around." Neville walked off.

"Is that REALLY Neville Longbottom? The scaredy-cat little wizard who flipped out back in fourth year because he thought Potter drowned?" Hermione laughed and said yes.

"How about you finish 'letting them find us'?" With a smirk, Draco pushed her back into the tree and they picked up where they'd left off.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry, it's been forever, but I have school stuff and other stories…I finished Past Lifestyles, if you wanted to read something else of mine. Well, here we go!

Hermione and Draco spent the day at Hogsmeade, shopping and talking, and of course, making out. They saw Ginny and Neville every once in a while but it wasn't too often. They returned to the school in time for dinner, and then sat out in the cool evening air before curfew.

"Do you think Ron's nose is okay?" Hermione asked.

"Probably," Draco replied, "That was a spectacular punch, though. Honestly, I could feel it…just like last time." He smiled and Hermione blushed.

"I'm sorry about that, but you were really getting on my nerves."

"I could tell. I suppose I should say I'm sorry too. 6 years of bullying…In all honesty, I was afraid of you. Here was a mudblood," Hermione winced at the word, "Just like my father taught me to, I started in on you, poisoning my words with the hate I was supposed to feel…but instead, I felt love. I was terrified. I had been brought up to hate and I wasn't…it was like a pleasant nightmare, which is contradictory, but that's what it was. Because every time I tried to hate you, I'd notice something. It might have been the way the light hit your hair and made it shine, or that your cheeks were a little flushed, but it would make my heart skip a beat, and that scared me."

"Were you scared of what your father would do?" Hermione was a little taken aback at this sudden confession.

Draco laughed, "No, Narcissa would never let father hurt a hair on my head. I was scared because it meant you had power over me. It meant that I would never be able to really hurt you; like I did with We-Ron and Harry." Hermione's face dropped a little bit. "Sorry," He put his arm around her and she leaned in, wrapping her own arms around his waist.

"It's okay. At first, I genuinely hated you…but one day, I yelled at you and your eyes, for the briefest moment, looked hurt. It was weird, like, in that one look, my whole view of you changed…oh my God, we sound like some bad cliché!" She chuckled and sat up. Looking him straight in the eyes, she said, "I love you." She kissed him and he lay back so they were flat on the grass, a witch and a wizard, in a timeless embrace.

Next week, Hermione met up with Ginny for a study 'group' outside underneath their favorite tree. "So, how's Ron's nose?" she asked, giggling.

"Oh, back to normal…if it ever was." The girls laughed and chattered about boyfriends, schoolwork, and random gossip.

"So, apparently, Ron's been dating lately, but no one can figure out who the mystery girl is. Neville said he walked in on them in a broom cupboard but it was too dark to see much other than a few details. Apparently, he saw that she has short brown hair and surprisingly wide shoulders for a girl." She laughed. "Leave it to Ronnie to pick a girl like that!" She laughed again and Hermione mock glared.

"Are you saying he has bad taste? He liked me you know!"

"Yes, of course, but you just weren't manly enough for him." She feigned sympathy.

"Oh dear, I'm just doomed with all men now, aren't I?" They cackled insanely.

"I suppose we should do some school work, shouldn't we?" They worked diligently until it started getting late enough that they couldn't see very well. They headed into the castle and were on the way back to the Gryffindor room when they passed a closet that had some strange noises emanating from it.

"Maybe it's Ron and his girlfriend!" Ginny whispered. They advanced towards the door and held their wands up, lit with lumos so they could see who was inside. Yanking open the door, they were met by a flushed Ron and….Seamus! The girls' smiles dropped from their faces.

"Ronald! What are you doing?" Ginny's mouth was almost to the floor in shock.

"Uh…I…we…it…"

Seamus nudged Ron. "_Tell the truth!_" He hissed.

Ron, still blushing furiously, stood straighter and looked his little sister in the eyes. "Ginny, I have something I need to tell you."

"Obviously!" she scoffed

"Well, the thing is I'm…" he squeezed his eyes shut. "I…it's hard to explain…you see-"

"Ronald, are you gay?"

Ron hung his head for a moment and then glared at the girls. "Yeah, yeah I am. Is there a problem?"

"But…you were so keen on Hermione…." Ginny had gotten over some of the shock and a faint reddish hue was creeping up her neck.

"Ron…was it all-everything you said to me-was it all a lie?" Hermione had a strange look on her face, somewhere between anger and hilarity, as if she was moments away from screaming or laughing.

"Not all of it…I do love you, just…not that way. I was just afraid of the attraction I was feeling towards guys…" Seamus was pale but defiant behind Ron, who was as red as a tomato. Suddenly, Ginny burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" Ron asked, his voice matching Seamus' defiant stature.

"First of all, this….is just like…a soap opera," she gasped. "Second, you two…are in…a broom…closet…of all places!" Her mirth was contagious. Soon, the four of them were in stitches, leaning against each other for support.

When they had all calmed down to occasional bursts of giggles, they headed back to the common room. They all retired to their rooms, each feeling their day catch up with them at last.


End file.
